Day After Surgeon General Tells Americans to Wear Masks for Memorial Day, Trump Mocks Biden for Wearing One
President Donald Trump once again highlighted the contradictory messaging of his administration when he ridiculed former Vice President Joe Biden for wearing a mask during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that has killed nearly 100,000 in the United States.
As Americans prepared to celebrate Memorial Day, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams released a public service announcement video reminding everyone to wear masks in public during the festivities.
“As the country begins to reopen, don’t forget to wear a cloth face covering when in public,” Adams said. He proceeded to demonstrate while reminding viewers that wearing masks is so people can protect themselves from contracting the virus or spreading it to others.
Trump has largely refused to wear a mask throughout the health crisis, and on Monday, the president declined to set an example for Adams as he partook in a Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. By contrast, Joe and Jill Biden wore masks as they made their first public appearance since March in order to lay their own wreath at a Delaware war memorial.
On Monday night, Fox News’ Brit Hume posted a tweet that seemed to ridicule the ex-veep over his masked appearance. Trump seemed to enjoy that, since he gave Hume a retweet.
Hume also got a lot of grief from social media, however, with many pointing out that Biden is adhering to the administration’s health and safety guidelines while Trump is not.
Kinda looks like a guy who is leading by example, if you ask me. Perhaps, @brithume, you’ve forgotten what that looks like? https://t.co/Is62uZMhwH
— Mark Hertling (@MarkHertling) May 26, 2020
this is what being pro-life actually looks like … https://t.co/U3IdZOdACB
— Kurt Bardella (@kurtbardella) May 26, 2020
Because Trump enjoys the petty vanity of his heavy makeup, wig, girdle, lifts, and lacks civic decency? https://t.co/KPCaWWpgu5
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) May 26, 2020
He looks like someone who understands the gravity of what we are facing, knows his role as a citizen in combating it, wants to set an example to others, and is secure and confident enough to not care how he looks.
He looks presidential. So yeah, I guess it does explain it. https://t.co/YnnWvpxsjW
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) May 26, 2020
You got to be kidding.Public Health officials have asked us to wear masks. The VP has done that. He is a leader. #coronavirus https://t.co/5sS5Jy7oDG
— Randi Weingarten (@rweingarten) May 26, 2020
Because he might look like a grown-ass man who believes in science and wants to set an example about how to save Americans lives? https://t.co/z38Nd179lZ
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) May 26, 2020
Yeah what kind of asshole models behavior that literally saves lives. https://t.co/N22jIb6eTX
— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) May 25, 2020
One of the many reasons it’s awful that Hume tweeted and Trump retweeted this—aside from mocking masks during a pandemic—is that this is a picture of Biden visiting a veteran’s memorial today. His late son Beau served in Iraq. pic.twitter.com/TfatZzpZV8
— Laura Bassett (@LEBassett) May 26, 2020
Here’s how Hume defended himself from criticism.
Biden was visiting a cemetery with his wife. Both have been quarantined for weeks. So what others was protecting, pray tell? https://t.co/yR1xbI0V5Q
— Brit Hume (@brithume) May 25, 2020
Watch above, via U.S. Surgeon General.
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